"Hey, Edward, are you there?" Two pickup trucks stopped one after another on the lawn in front of a beach house, and then Philemon jumped down and shouted into the house.
"I knew this guy was here to find him, boss. You've found a treasure this time; only Philemon could hire this guy." Looking at Philemon shouting outside, Robbins-Garcia, who was unbuckling his seat belt in the car, couldn't help but laugh. Hearing his words, Jiang Hai, who was about to get out of the car, was momentarily stunned. What did this mean?
"The guy's name is Edward Anderson, the most famous fisherman around here. They say his father is an Icelander who immigrated here. His ancestors were Vikings, you know, the Vikings from Northern Europe. When he was young, he went out to sea alone with a small boat and killed an adult killer whale. Later, the government hired him to train frogmen and so on. However, it's said he was too stubborn and beat the instructor, so they let him go. He's the best fisherman here, no one else comes close. He made a lot of money in his youth, enough for him to live comfortably in old age. Philemon married his youngest sister. If it weren't for him, we probably wouldn't have been able to hire him." Robbins explained to Jiang Hai, who was still puzzled.
Upon hearing Robbins' words, Jiang Hai was stunned. Kill an adult killer whale alone? If that wasn't a joke, then this guy might indeed be extraordinary. Thinking of this, Jiang Hai grew curious about the man.
"I'm here, Philemon, you loudmouth! If it weren't for Vicki, I'd tell you to shut up, you bastard." A big man came out of the beach house after hearing Philemon's voice. This big man stood about 2.10 meters tall, not young, in his 50s, with a thick beard.
But his physical condition didn't reflect his age. His muscles bulged, veins popping out, and though his beer belly rounded him out, his overall appearance was intimidating.
"You old bastard, I'm here to introduce you to a job." Philemon wasn't bothered by his words and continued talking with a smile. When the big man heard the word "job," he was momentarily stunned.
As Robbins said, the man had made plenty of money in his youth, and with no wife or children, he could live comfortably for the rest of his life if he were prudent. But he had a family situation. His ex-wife gave birth to a son who wasn't great at studying but had made it to college this year. However, the tuition fee cost him $50,000, and this had drained all his funds. On top of that, he still had to pay for tuition in the coming years, so his finances were stretched thin. He thought about moving to the South or West Coast to find better work opportunities, but his age and reluctance to leave his hometown made him hesitant.
When he heard Philemon's mention of a job, he couldn't help but feel a little surprised.
In Boston, large fisheries were scarce. Most fishing was done out at sea or lobsters were farmed in Maine. There were hardly any fisheries nearby, so it was unlikely he could find a job.
"Let me introduce you. This is my boss, the current owner of Green Forest, Jiang Hai. He just signed the contract today." Philemon smiled and introduced Jiang Hai.
"Green Forest? That's a big deal, buddy. Are you planning to develop marine resources there?" Edward shook Jiang Hai's hand and asked, excitement in his voice.
"Of course, but the plan may be delayed. I don't plan to raise fish just yet. I've invested a lot in the ranch, so for now, I can only offer a job and a few boats," Jiang Hai explained as they shook hands. Edward nodded in understanding. He appreciated Jiang Hai's honesty.
"Hi, Edward, long time no see." At that moment, Robbins came over and greeted Edward with a friendly pat on the shoulder. Edward obviously knew Robbins, who was also well-known, and smiled in return, though his attention remained mainly on Jiang Hai.
"I want to know, when do you plan to develop the fishery?" Edward asked, looking at Jiang Hai seriously.
"At least wait until the ranch funds are recovered!" Jiang Hai replied after a moment of thought. He was eager to develop the fishery, but the same issue remained: how could he proceed without sufficient funds?
"That's not a problem." Edward Anderson laughed at Jiang Hai's words.
"Why's that?" Jiang Hai asked, puzzled.
"First, I really need a job right now. Even if it's just catching Asian carp, I'll do it. Second, I trust these guys. If Robbins and Philemon are under your command, then Burke Dahler must be involved as well. If these three are on your team, as long as nothing unexpected happens, your ranch will be profitable in less than two years. This is my read on them and my confidence in them," Edward said with a smile, looking at Jiang Hai.
Since they were from the same town, Edward knew who had skills and who didn't.
It seemed that Robbins was quite capable, and his reputation was solid.
"In that case, welcome aboard. Let's sign the labor contract while it's still early. I've prepared a villa for you to stay in," Jiang Hai said, smiling at Edward. Edward returned the smile and nodded, then went back to pack his things. The house was his, and while he didn't need to return it, Jiang Hai's offer of a house was a great opportunity. Renting it out would provide some income, which was important to him now.
The following arrangements were straightforward. Jiang Hai, Robbins, and Edward went to the law firm to sign a new labor contract. Edward's salary was the highest among everyone there, even Robbins had no complaints.
Generally, seamen earn much more than ranchers. In the U.S., the average annual income for a seaman is around $48,000, which is about the same as the middle-class level. However, since Edward was a seasoned professional capable of operating most fishing boats, he could earn nearly $100,000 a year on the West Coast. Unfortunately, this was Boston, and Jiang Hai wasn't prepared to pay that much. They settled on $1,200 per week, with additional pay for trips at sea. This worked out to $62,400 annually, which was still a great salary. After Edward left to pack up, Philemon went back to handle other matters.
With his large family to take care of, it would take longer for Philemon to pack everything up.
After signing the contract with Edward, Jiang Hai and his three companions visited the local supermarket in Winthrop.
This was Jiang Hai's first time shopping in Winthrop, and he was curious about the prices in the town.
Prices in Boston are some of the highest in the U.S. While the income ranks ninth among all metropolitan areas, expenses are second only to New York, which is quite surprising.
Of course, prices vary depending on the comparison. Compared to other parts of the U.S., prices are a bit higher here, but for Jiang Hai, the items in this town were quite cheap, especially meats. Americans don't eat pork much, nor do they consume river fish, ducks, or geese. Their meat menu consists mostly of beef, lamb, sea fish, and chicken, all of which are relatively inexpensive.
For example, beef, which is about 9 taels per portion, sells for only a few dollars. When converted to RMB, it's at least half the price compared to China. And since the cattle here aren't injected with water, there's no need to worry about toxins.
Lamb is about the same price as beef, though slightly more expensive. Currently, lamb in China costs more than beef.
Chicken and sea fish are the cheapest. A bag of chicken wings costs only 99 cents, and another bag is $1.30. Converting to RMB, it's at least half the price of similar items in China!
But don't think everything is cheap here. Vegetables are outrageously expensive.
Jiang Hai saw that a tomato cost $2 per pound, a bell pepper was 99 cents each, and zucchini cost 88 cents per pound. This is considered cheap compared to other vegetables, but the high-end options cost three times as much.
Though these vegetables are organic, the prices are still prohibitively high.
Many people in the town grow their own vegetables to save on costs, and those who have extra can sell the surplus. In the U.S., vegetables are a reliable business—if the quality is good, people will buy them regardless of the price.
Interestingly, lettuce is considered a low- or mid-grade vegetable in U.S. supermarkets, which seems strange considering its basic status in other countries.